Attention all Knifemakers!.....Product dealers/retailers and/or knife makers/sharpeners/hobbyists (etc) are not permitted to insert business related text/videos/images (company/company name/product references) and/or links into your signature line, your homepage url (within the homepage profile box), within any posts, within your avatar, nor anywhere else on this site. Market research (such as asking questions regarding or referring to products/services that you make/offer for sale or posting pictures of finished projects) is prohibited. These features are reserved for supporting vendors and hobbyists.....Also, there is no need to announce to the community that you are a knifemaker unless you're trying to sell something so please refrain from sharing.
Thanks for your co-operation!

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Shig clone in mono stainless like AEB-L

I have a wa Shig and I do love it, I even have a Shig damascus with a yo(!) handle that will be coming to me soon that I got a Japanese friend to order for me from Kiya in Japan. (Luckily while they don't seem to make many yo's anymore-especially in damascus-Kiya seems to have some extra pull with them and they made it for me, I'm chomping at the bit to get it-it should be here by the end of the month.)

Still, I was thinking it would be insanely cool if I could buy a Shig profile knife in a high end stainless steel like AEB-L . Have any of the custom makers here made something close to this? Even better is there any semi custom knife that is close to a Shig profile that is in a mono stainless?

wouldn't really be a Shig clone if it's not a clad knife, and i honestly don't know why you would want a monosteel knife over a clad one, if it's going to have the grind of a clad knife. Yoshikane's semi-stainless is pretty close to the concept, otherwise.

i believe they are a good bit thinner than a Shig, at the spine, and through the grind, right? The profile is probably similar, though.

As far as I know, Yoshikane geometry is very different of Shigefusa. Both are forged and san mai, but that's where the similarities end. Shigefusa are thin knives, don't be fooled by the super thick tang and machi area.

The disadvantage of a thin san mai knife is that it will bend if not careful (you can bend Shige petty or suji with your fingers, even a gyuto near the tip). Monosteel knives don't have that problem.

Geometry of a knife is how the knife is ground. The advantage of san mai over monosteel, from maker's perspective is that it is easier to finish, easier to keep the knife straight and this allows to lower overall production cost of a knife. Performance-wise there is no difference, and someone says there is, they would have to prove it.

Even thickest Shigefusa I have seen is thinner in cross-section than Yoshikane.

M

"All beauty that has no foundation in use, soon grows distasteful and needs continuous replacement with something new." The Shakers' saying.

I've looked at a handful of Shiges very closely, and to be honest, the grind isn't anything otherworldly. What makes them so impressive is the perfection of the grind. It seems to me, you can hold any Shige in the light and not see any dips or peaks along the blade face. I am truly impressed with the consistency straight across the board. The food release on them seems to be good, but nothing crazy, and the tip is actually surprisingly stellar. All in all, the grind is just own that has a nice balance of flat (for thinness), and convex (for food release). This is tough to do, but if you ask Pierre, Marko, Devin, Will, Mike, etc, you'll get a beautiful cutter with similar properties. As far as profile goes, maybe ask on of the above guys to mimick the shape. I bet you'll be pleased.

I recently got 10 Shigefusas and one Yoshihide, all destined for you guys. I have looked them all over very thoroughly, and without going into specifics, they are all gorgeous blades, with terrific craftsmanship. The grinds, in general, are stellar. The feeling, terrific. As we all know, Shigefusa is one of the "Grail Knives", and I fully understand why. Not surprisingly, I have a feeling I'll be keeping one for my own kitchen, to love and ogle, for years to come. What has surprised me, however, is which knife it is that's made me a little kid. The knife I'm talking about is a 195mm Santoku. Yes, a SANTOKU! I've said before, I'm not a santoku guy. I wasn't, at least...hell, I'm still not, but this little gal has stolen my heart. It's a wonderful size for home use, the look is just incredible, and when I first grabbed it, I went, "Damn...this isn't good". I'm mesmerized by the grind, and while I can't quite put it into words, it just feels like it's supposed to stay with me.

It's the grind

once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right